Migrants in Isolation: Singapore to give food, free treatment, salaries
The Singapore government has promised food, wages, and treatment costs of Bangladeshi migrant workers who are in isolation in the country's dormitories.
The decision comes after a surge in coronavirus cases at the workers' dormitories.
"We are maintaining regular contact with various departments of the Singapore government regarding your [workers] overall condition. They have assured us of the three things," Bangladesh High Commissioner in Singapore Mustafizur Rahman yesterday said in a video message to the workers.
Singapore saw 287 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, a record for the country. About 70 percent of the infections were linked to foreign workers' dormitories, reports The Straits Times.
The Singapore government declared five dorms -- Tampines Dormitory, Sungei Tengah Lodge, S11 Dormitory in Punggol, Westlite Toh Guan and Toh Guan -- as isolation facilities to prevent the spread or possible outbreak of Covid-19.
Residents of these lodgings were ordered to remain in their rooms for 14 days.
The number of Bangladeshi workers living in those dorms remain unknown.
Singapore is home to around two lakh Bangladeshis, mostly employed in the construction sector.
According to foreign ministry sources, at least 244 Bangladeshi migrant workers in Singapore have been diagnosed with coronavirus.
Of the five Bangladeshis diagnosed in the past few weeks, four have recovered and one is being treated, said a ministry statement.
Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and his Singapore counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan talked over the phone on Thursday, according to the statement.
"All sorts of construction activities have been halted in Singapore. However, the wages and other related facilities of Bangladeshi workers have been kept up. Besides, all workers have been provided with food and medical treatment free of cost," Balakrishnan told Momen during the conversation.
In the video message posted in social media, High Commissioner Mustafizur Rahman said the Singapore government has asked residents of the dorms to maintain social distancing, stay inside the rooms as much as possible, and minimise contact from one block to another.
The workers' time for leisure and meals have been scheduled separately, he said.
"These may be difficult, but must be followed for the sake of your and all of our health and safety."
If needed, food will be sent to the workers' rooms, he said.
The Singapore government decided to bear the treatment costs of anyone infected with coronavirus.
The country's health ministry has formed medical teams at the dormitories. Any Bangladeshi migrant worker can approach the team members, he said.
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